Cheshire West and Chester

Health improved substantially in Cheshire West and Chester between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure.

The population reached nearly 330,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Cheshire West and Chester increased by 2.4%, from just under 322,000 to 330,000.

The addition of just over 7,600 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Cheshire West and Chester was home to, on average, 2.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Cheshire West and Chester

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Cheshire West and Chester increased by three years, from 39 to 42 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the North West and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 8,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 10,000.

About 12% of people in Cheshire West and Chester are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Cheshire West and Chester by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Cheshire West and Chester residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.9% to 5.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Cheshire West and Chester residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Cheshire West and Chester decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Cheshire West and Chester, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Cheshire West and Chester

The percentage of Cheshire West and Chester residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.4% to 4.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.3%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.5% in 2001. The percentage of Cheshire West and Chester residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Cheshire West and Chester that rented privately increased from 6.6% to 13% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of Cheshire West and Chester households that owned their home decreased from 74% to 71%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Cheshire West and Chester increased by 5.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Cheshire West and Chester, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Cheshire West and Chester working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 9.8% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Cheshire West and Chester decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Cheshire West and Chester, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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